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2 | LEO WEEKLY AUGUST 12-25, 2026

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 3

CREATIVE SERVICES Creative Director Haimanti Germain

DIRECTOR OF SALES Marsha Blacker

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Abigail Feldkamp

ON THE COVER:

Painting by Catrina Higgs

RUBY FAMILY CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

VERNON LANES: UNCOVERING THE HISTORY + MECHANICS

ARTISTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS

THE MEN BEHIND LOUISVILLE’S FIRST LUXURY FRAGRANCE

A FRESH SPIN ON TRIVIA: MEET LEFT FIELD TRIVIA

A CONVERSATION WITH MTV LEGEND THOMAS DOLBY

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS AND LIVE SHOWS IN THE CITY

ETC

CONTRIBUTORS Jeff Polk

Chief Executive Officer Chris Keating

LEO Weekly is published by LEO Weekly LLC. Copyright LEO Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Publisher. LEO Weekly is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express permission of LEO Weekly LLC. LEO Weekly may be distributed only by authorized independent contractors or authorized distributors. Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) is a trademark of LEO Weekly LLC.

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THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE

THE RUBY FAMILY CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF JEFF RUBY’S IN LOUISVILLE The restaurant titans threw a swanky celebration, cementing the steakhouse’s past 20 years and taking a look back on all of the people, events and memories that helped make it possible. BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP

Mr. Ruby spoke to LEO Weekly about how the restaurant made its way to Louisville and some of his favorite parts about getting to know the city over the past 20 years. LEO: Can you tell us a little about this celebration? Mr. Ruby: This is our 20th anniversary in Louisville, and it’s been a great ride. We’re hoping to do another 120. So that’s what we’re celebrating. We’re thanking the people that have helped support us and our employees that have made this possible. Let’s have a little party. LEO: What brought you to Louisville originally? Mr. Ruby: Lisa Howard, with the Galt House, she was the Sales Director. She came to Cincinnati and said “We’re doing this development at Waterfront Plaza. There’s a Galt House Hotel and I would like you to put a restaurant there.” I said “Well, tell your

bosses to come to Northern Kentucky to my place called the Waterfront, it’s a floating restaurant on three barges, magnificent place, and we’ll talk.” So Mary Moseley and Sam Moseley and their people came to the Waterfront. There was a restaurant that was called South Beach Grill. [Mary and Sam Moseley] experienced something they’d never seen before and they wanted me to replicate it here [in Louisville]. The good news is I didn’t have to put it on the river because that will be something I’ll never do again. We gave them the Jeff Ruby experience and we’ve been here 20 years. LEO: What are some of your favorite parts of Louisville and having a business in Louisville? Mr. Ruby: The community has been behind us. They supported us- southern hospitality. It was our first restaurant outside of Cincinnati, so it was a risk to come to another

city where nobody knew me. The risk was great, but the reward has been better. You’ve gotta take risks to have a reward. It was the hospitality, the community. I’m into horse racing. I’m into bourbon. I knew Rick Patino. I’ve got myself a national championship ring from UofL. I’ve been friends with Pat Kelsey for a long time. Churchill Downs, relationships with the jockeys, the people, the southern hospitality here. We come to a city where we want to do food that the people in that city can relate to and enjoy. We had to do some southern cooking. I had to bring some south to the mouth to our guests here in Louisville. So that’s what we did. The guests here have supported us and have gotten behind us for 20 years. That’s a long time to be loyal. The employees made it possible. Jeff Ruby’s is located on 325 W. Main St. Haley Bollinger, courtesy of the Ruby Family

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THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE

VERNON LANES: UNCOVERING THE HISTORY + MECHANICS BEHIND THE 4TH OLDEST BOWLING ALLEY IN THE US BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP

Vernon Lanes, known for its vintage charm and long history in the city of Louisville, is one of the oldest bowling alleys in the United States. General Manager Bruce Jarrett took LEO Weekly on an exclusive tour, highlighting the expansive history of the bowling alley and the machinery that helps make the magic happen. The Vernon Lanes building is a mansion that was built in 1886, and its first use was for the Delmont Club, which operated until 1898. It was then purchased by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in 1918, using it as a recreational hall. The original bowling lanes were located downstairs in the basement of the building, as opposed to the ground floor location you see in the space now. The dance floor and more social space was located on the ground floor. Butchertown, where Vernon Lanes is located, was historically a stockyard area, where workers would take shipped goods

off of barges in order to avoid the Falls of the Ohio. The goods would then be transported to Portland to be loaded onto new barges. St. Joseph’s recreational hall served as a way for workers, their friends, and families to take a load off and hang out. During 1944 and WWII, the recreational hall received funding to rebuild the building. A concrete foundation was added, the bowling lanes were moved upstairs and the social activities were moved below, adding a stage, soundbooth with a VIP area, green room, and a small kitchen area, used for fish fries. Under current ownership, the structure of the building was changed quite a bit. Walls were knocked down upstairs to create room for more patrons and handicap accessibility and a kitchen, bar and new stage area was added downstairs. During the bowling alley’s stint as the St. Joseph’s social club, there were “pin boys”, who were hired to pick up the pins, reset them and throw the balls back after each

frame. They were 10-20 years old and were kids from the parrish or neighborhood. Some of the pin boys are still alive and come to visit the bowling alley to this day. The pin boys lasted until 1969, when new pin setting machines were put in. The pinsetters were manufactured in Chicago in 1968, making them a brand new invention at the time they were installed at Vernon Lanes. Ever since that installation, the pinsetters have remained the same at the bowling alley upon proper maintenance. The pinsetters are operated by mostly one motor and a series of belts that are similar to ones you’d find in your car. A transmission operates the mechanisms that turn the pin-loading part of the machine, the conveyor that drops the pins into the loading area, and the rake that cleans the lanes and moves the deck up and down. There’s electrical parts that automatically stop the system to prevent jams. The pinsetters, from their debut in

1968 on, have always included a multitude of safety precautionary features. The machines are built to stop automatically, as if they were to continue, the pins would be smashed and the lanes would be torn apart. There’s also a series of backup cables to prevent anything from falling. Remnants of Vernon Lane’s history can be spotted throughout the bowling alley. Textured walls from glue that held shag carpets, Brunswick lockers that are still used by regulars, and the original cellar door hung on the wall. The benches are from the 60s, some complete with ash trays. In fact, the newest part of the lanes and bowling area is the wooden parts of the lanes where the balls roll, as they have to be replaced every couple of years to remain operable. Even then, the wood is often repurposed to make bars and tables. Catch up on some nostalgia and immerse yourself in Louisville history at Vernon Lanes, located on 1575 Story Ave. Kiara Crum

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THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE

LOUISVILLE ARTISTS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS It’s no secret that Louisville is budding with many artists and creatives. Check out 6 different artists around the Louisville area and what they have to say about their work, themselves and more! BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP ANGEL KELLY

Angels Art Studio Self taught mixed-media apparel and collage artist born and based in Louisville Kentucky. My earliest memories of being an artist start with me in my childhood home, sitting at a small wooden table in the basement, and without a care in the world putting a brush to paper. Telling my stories with wild brush strokes, making bold choices with my colors and shapes, and creating an unimaginablemess. Since then, art has followed me throughout many different phases of my life. And I’m so glad it did. From painting on my bedroom floor trying to cope with bad break ups, to doing art therapy sessions at the Gilda’s Club while undergoing chemotherapy, creating has given me many outlets and opportunities to express myself. Though art can be riveting and captivating, as an artist myself I am of the strong belief that it does not need to be or should not be taken so seriously all of the time. I really enjoy leaning into a more impressionist and abstract form of art. And over the past year have found a love for photomontage collage art and wearable art such as, painted bags, handmade jewelry, and upcycled clothing. I like to feature recycled and thrifted material in my work to show that you can create incredible pieces with all sorts of resources. Art should be accessible, some of my best pieces have been created using mail and media that had been laying around my apartment! Coming up with a color pattern or a subject matter is the foundation, I then let intuition lead me the rest of the way. Releasing the idea that you must perfect every small detail before showing off your work opens up a lot of freedom for creativity to flow. It is okay to make things because you think they look cool or just because you want to and for no other reason besides that. I encourage all people, artists specifically, to approach creating with a childlike wonder, curiosity, and belief in yourself!

SARA

Life of a Funky Girl Don’t make art. Whatever you do, do not make art. Do not begin to observe the mundane as beautiful. Do not bring a journal and drawing instruments everywhere you go. Do not pick up a crayon whenever you feel anxious. You will spend too much money on art supplies. You will spend too much time alone. Your hands will become sore. You will become soft like the clay you use. Messy like your paint palettes. Stiff like the bristles of your neglected paint brush. You may find that your thoughts, for the first time ever, start to feel smaller than you. You may begin to feel a sense of control. Do not make something that teaches you a new truth about yourself. You will crave creation. It will be all you can think about. It will feel like getting a corn silk unstuck between your teeth. Necessary. You may find bridges disappearing or you may find only one bridge is left. Do not cross it; do not find your inner child on the other side. Do not hold her hand. And whatever you do...do not share your art with others. Do not let others see you and also somehow themselves in you. Definitely don’t write about your thoughts or your art process. Do not make art or consume it. Don’t buy art. Do not let these words lead you to supporting me and my journey as a multi-media artist. Do not follow and engage with my content on social media. Do not use my ceramics in your day to day life or allow my art to adorn your walls.

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@lifeofafunkygirl

REBECCA ROSE Rebecca works where visceral emotional landscapes become a site of artistic transmutation. She is a photographer and illustrator who forges soul fragments, ancient wounds, and the beauty of nature together in a deliberate merging of opposites. Based in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, Rebecca’s early influence in tech along with her educational background and career in commercial photography provides a solid foundation that continues to support her evolving process. Aside from photography, she also uses animation, pastel, watercolor, ink, and charcoal to create her images and designs. “I work with light, pixels, symmetry, and unseen forces to illuminate the layers and substrate beneath things, so they can be known and felt. Threads of feminine consciousness and the undercurrents of nature and subconscious realms are the pulse of my visions, and the place where my artistry keeps expanding beyond the limitations I once allowed my career to set for me. I’ve built my latest process through relentless experimentation and through the shedding of countless creative identities and roles. Emotional atmospheres of past traumas have opened gateways of images, patterns, colors, and a slow collaboration with myself as I merge with new skills and call back my scattered pieces. Photography was my first method of working with light, where I built my career and learned to create images that tell stories. Collaborative portraits were the heart and soul of my work for a long time. Lately, I’ve been shifting toward more tactile mediums that offer organic flexibility while layering in digital techniques. I choose colors that vibrate with the energy around me, sketch a series of images, then scan the final piece to animate and refine through digital processes. In 2021, I began experimenting with inkblots as a medium and a therapeutic way to release the perfectionism I’d built around my practice over a lifetime. It became such a powerful turning point that I adopted the nickname Alchemical Inkblotter and began teaching the process to others. In 2025, I began writing poetry and connecting words with old and new illustrations together into a zine named My Body My Altar. The zine is a visual odyssey and declaration of bodily autonomy through periods of grief, surrender, and apocalypse. Currently, I’m building a series of patterns with the sketches I made this year in Guatemala, where I became acquainted with unfamiliar flora, and allured by their beauty and shamanic essences. I’m turning the patterns into a series of animations and various printed materials. For me, being an artist is about creating a world where imagination feels available and expansive for everyone. I hope that my offerings can provide beauty and evocation in times of numbness, validation and soothing in times of suffering, and a sense of freedom in a world where artistic expression is deliberately suppressed.” Rebecca’s work can be found around Louisville, Kentucky. Her photograph See You on the Other Side of Quarantine (2020) is currently on display in the Satterwhite Hallway at the Speed Art Museum. Many of her original inkblot paintings are available for sale at Barrett Babes, along with copies of My Body, My Altar (2025) Instagram: @subterrain Substack: @subterrain777 Website: www.rebecca-rose-art.com

SARAH SLAYTON

Poppy & Fern Floral Preservation My name is Sarah Slayton and I create with flowers! Floral preservation allows me to transform flowers into lasting works of art. Every bloom tells a story, and my goal as an artist is to preserve not only the beauty of each bloom but also the emotions and memories they represent. I approach each piece with care and respect for the flowers entrusted to me. Every preservation is one of a kind. I carefully dry, color correct, arrange, and frame each bloom by hand to highlight its natural beauty while creating a piece of art that is about more than the flowers themselves. My creative process is rooted in patience and a deep appreciation for nature. I aim to consider balance, texture, movement, and color in my art to create pieces that feel both unique and meaningful. I want your eyes to dance around a piece finding new details each time. Every frame is a collaboration between nature and my own artistic expression. What inspires me most is knowing that my artwork becomes part of someone’s story, whether that be in moments of great joy or immense grief. I want the art I create to immediately transport people back to the memories and people connected to their blooms. It is an honor to transform something temporary into something that can be enjoyed long after the flowers themselves have faded. AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 9

CATRINA HIGGS I’m an 8th generation redhead trailer park baby from Kentucky, raised by a single mother. Needless to say I’m a self taught artist and pursuing art was never a practical choice. As I crawl bareback through a midlife crisis, cancer and being a single mom for the first time at 40..all roads lead me to Louisville where my unflinching chase for my whole self and a dream feels welcomed with warm hugs. Art is the only language that has survived every chapter of my life. If I had to explain my artistic style, my art is what happens when someone stomps a cratersized hole through my chest and all you can see inside is a visual culmination of duality, a hot and cold contrast of bright red orange beside the coldest blue you’ve ever seen, with a distillate view of my ego,my empathy, my rage and my reverence, shimmied up next to my core beliefs adorning female figures like ball gowns that refuse to shrink themselves for the room. They don’t ask permission. They occupy every inch of the canvas, leaving no room for the viewer to negotiate their presence. They feel like gawds from another dimension where justice prevails, sprinkled with stars and moon phases. Unable to package myself up in a tidy box I don’t have one visual language—I have three. The first are my contour portraits: abstract faces paired with motivational truths. They were born during my first year of motherhood and the isolation of the pandemic. They became the intersection of mental health, affirmation, and identity. The figures are intentionally genderless, cultureless, almost the essence of fleeting feeling or emotion. A cathartic artistic exercise I could make during naptime or at the dinner table while the dishes stacked up, revealing my postpartum depression in real time. The second are my large-scale abstract expressionist paintings. I call them my palette cleansers. They’re intuitive, chaotic, and driven more by movement and emotion than representation. The third—and closest to my soulself—are my contemporary figurative works inspired by tarot iconography. Through the female gaze, I alchemize womanhood, motherhood, I pay homage to the female form. Where a breast can be viewed like an elbow that’s been to war. These figures are almost always caught in battles they never asked for, prevailing against all odds. You can find my art prints and original contour works at Barret Babes, with exclusive experimental works coming soon to Grady Good’s ArtPunk Gallery. My next solo exhibition, An Uncontrolled Fire, opens October 10, 2026, from 5–8 p.m. at 829 National Ave in Lexington Ky. I am actively seeking all the opportunities I can get in and around Louisville.Commissions are always open and you can check out my Instagram at @catrinahiggs to see what I’m working on next. For all other inquiries: artistcatrinahiggs@gmail.com.

RILEY HAMM

Riley’s Realm

In a world that can be cruel, I have always believed that we must cling to what is magical. In my experience, the act of creation has always proven to be magical. In 2022, I found out my mother, my biggest source of inspiration, was ill. An FIT student in the 90s, she taught me most of what I knew when it came to creating. With a need for magic more so than ever, I created my outlet the very same day: Riley’s Realm. Alongside my mother, I have always been extremely inspired by the women in my life. Femininity is also magic, so I guess it was only natural for me to pair those two things together. In my art, I tend to use vintage frilly materials alongside more punk ones such as studs, crosses, and guns. This has always felt like an expression of the juxtaposition of a woman’s life. Which can be everything all at once. I believe this is a way for me to make sense of what I experienced as a child growing up, surrounded by only women. I want to celebrate them, and their unique experiences, throughout my designs. With that in mind, my process has normally started by thinking outside of the box. As cliche as that may sound, I am allured in the ways I have seen women solve a problem at a moment’s notice by doing so. This makes it only right that I should start by doing the same when aiming to celebrate them. I typically do so by taking a piece that is seen as inherently feminine, and twisting it to make it fresh and celebratory. For example, I make a lot of Garters. Something that was seen as promiscuous in the past, I have added into my every day wardrobe by painting it as just another accessory. I like to make them fun and funky, instead of something that focuses on the male gaze. The use of unique vintage materials has also helped me in doing so, just like the garters- it allows me to transform something into something new, magical, and whimsical. This is why creation feels like magic to me. It is the ability to create something from nothing, and or to create something new from something old and “outdated”. It is an essential part of our society. I am so grateful that I get to practice it everyday. In this world, the feeling of magic is one of the last “free” things we have, so we must cling to it with everything all at once.

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Go out and support all of the amazing local artists our city has to offer! If you’d like to submit a blurb about you and your art, please email afeldkamp@leoweekly.com.

THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE

MEET THE MEN BEHIND A FRESH SPIN ON TRIVIA: LOUISVILLE’S FIRST LUXURY MEET LEFT FIELD TRIVIA FRAGRANCE HOUSE Named from the term “out of left field”, hosts Devon 502 Fragrances is inspired by the rich history of our city BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP

Justin Thomas and Jeff Houston are deeply passionate about all things Louisville- the culture, the history, the essence. Thomas has a strong background in perfumery and his best friend Houston has a drive for entrepreneurship. With their powers combined, Louisville’s first luxury fragrance house was born. Born and raised in Louisville, Thomas and Houston design their fragrances with the intent of leaving an elegant scent trail that lingers, as opposed to a loud, bold smell that can be overwhelming to the senses. 502 Fragrances bottles the essence of the city of Louisville in each scent they create, so their consumers can take a piece of the city they love with them wherever they go. Upon their launch in 2022, 502 Fragrances was recognized as the Minority Business of the Month by Louisville City FC, gaining attention one month into their business and has even expanded into the Atlanta area. Their three fragrances- Nulu, Mary and Static, each highlight different aspects of Louisville while containing their own

Arnold and Corey Washburn have developed unique game shows that stay true to the name and keep audiences coming back weekly. BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP

essences. All of 502 Fragrances scents are gender neutral and smell differently from person to person.

Nulu Inspired by the bright energy of Nulu. The scent is refreshing, clean and modern. Mary Named after the Louisville-born singer, Mary Ann Fisher, known for being a featured vocalist in Ray Charles’ band. This is a bold, cherry and amaretto style-fragrance that leans on the sweeter side. Static Named after the Louisville-born music producer, Static Major, who is known for “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne, “Pony” by Ginuwine, and more. It’s a fresh scent that can be worn day or night with sensual elements. Keep a lookout for limited edition scents inspired by specific times and events in Louisville. You can find 502 Fragrances at Tempo by Hilton as well as their website502fragrances.com. Abigail Feldkamp

Both hosts of Left Field Trivia have worked for various trivia companies over the years before deciding to forge their own path, exciting audiences with a brand new formula. When creating their shows, Devon and Corey keep the audience’s favorite aspects of bar trivia while implementing fresh ideas, including audio rounds and “choose your character” rounds to make the show more riveting and fun. Instead of focusing on one niche topic, Left Field covers a variety of topics each week that keep the whole group engaged throughout the show. They also curate the show’s topics based on which venue they are at, for example, they provide more sports-based questions at Garage Bar, and more in-depth questions at Jubilee Field. Their goal is to have the audience continue thinking about the questions well after they leave the venue. With the intentionality of wanting to curate an audience that is engaged and comes back weekly, Left Field Trivia shows feature something called a “glitch in the matrix”, which consists of an answer to a question that was also an answer to a question from the week prior. Left Field features another one-of-a-kind aspect to their shows with something called a “secret song signal.” Devon and Corey have impeccable music taste and play songs in between each question. Twice throughout the game, they will play a song that ties into the question that was just asked. If your team guesses the song, you get extra points.

When asked how they formulate their questions, both Devon and Corey explained that the idea is to have questions where the audience is learning along the way, whether you know the answer or not. They write all of their own questions, getting ideas from daily life, such as conversations they’ve had or content they engage with. Both men have a strong desire to keep learning and teaching throughout life, as both spent time teaching abroad. Most of all, Left Field Trivia stands out due to Devon and Corey’s personable qualities. You will find something different every time you attend a show, and their personalities are infused into everything they do. You can find Left Field Trivia every Monday at Whirling Tiger, every Wednesday at Garage Bar, and every third Thursday at Jubilee Field from 7-9 P.M. Devon and Corey aim to support more local bars and venues by bringing their shows to places on days where service may be slower. They are currently offering their audience-tested shows for venues to purchase and host on their own. If you’d like to purchase their shows, visit their website here. Additionally, the trivia team has plans to scale up their shows and reach new venues and audiences, if you’d like to work with them personally, send them an email at leftfieldtrivia@gmail.com or message them on their Instagram. Abigail Feldkamp

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 11

THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE

THE TOTALLY TUBULAR FESTIVAL HITS LOUISVILLE: A CONVERSATION WITH MTV LEGEND THOMAS DOLBY BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP 80s Alternative fans- it’s time to dance! The Totally Tubular Festival hits Iroquois Amphitheater on August 14th. The festival consists of a legendary lineup from 80s past including A Flock of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, and Thomas Dolby and The Lost Toy People. LEO was fortunate to have a conversation with Thomas Dolby, whose song “She Blinded Me with Science” was a staple in the popularization of MTV, defining a new generation of music that made a lasting impact on culture. We talk all things Totally Tubular Festival, fusing technological exploration with music and art, and 80s revival amongst the younger generations. LEO: What inspired you to be a part of the Totally Tubular Festival? TD: Two years ago I did the Totally Tubular Tour. I did it solo, just myself and a bunch of synths and computers. When I was asked to come back this year, I thought, well, I want to do something a bit different. I had this great idea, which was that in the late 1980s, when I first moved to California, I formed a band called The Lost Toy People to go out and play clubs. It’s a really hot, funky band, and we made an album called Aliens Ate My Buick, which has sort of become legendary and is still used to this day by sound engineers and audio files to test out their speaker systems. It had a really pristine sound to it. I decided to reform The Lost Toy People and take them out on the road for this tour. We’ve got a great 6-piece band with live horns, percussion backing vocals, no clicks or stems or anything. It’s all live, and we’re having an absolute blast. LEO: I know the Totally Tubular Festival is a rotating group of musical artists. How did all of these moving parts come together to create the fest? TD: I think these sort of 80s packages are very hot right now. There’s several 80s bands touring this summer and 80s nostalgia seems to be bigger than ever. Surprisingly, it’s not just people of my own age. It’s young people coming and I wonder whether some of them grew up with the music because their parents are playing it all of the time. But when I talk to them, it actually turns out that a lot of young people manage to discover music of the 80s sort of all on their own. I can only put it down to the fact that there’s a sort of rarefied feeling about it. I mean, only a few albums a month came out in the 1980s. Today, you know, it’s like a fire hose of thousands of new tracks everyday. So, I think young people today sort of appreciate how music was back then.

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LEO: Yes, actually I am one of those young people. I’m 28, but my favorite music is 80s music. I talked to my dad back in the 2010s a lot about how we wanted 80s festivals to be a thing, so I am excited to see that it’s finally coming into fruition, because I think you’re right. I think there is a crave for it.

TD: Yeah, and I think [the 80s] was very diverse musically. For a couple of reasons. Number one, technology had gotten away from just the tyranny of guitars and drums. Now you had synths and drum machines and samplers. The number 2, I think American radio had been very rigid until the early 80s. You

were either Hard Rock, or you were Rock and Roll or Pop or R&B, and it was very rare that radio programmers sort of varied their playlists. MTV comes along, and if you got a great video, then MTV will show it, and people were staying home to watch MTV because it was cool and new. They would

get hooked on ‘She Blinded Me with Science’, and then call their local radio stations to request it. Then the radio stations would go “well I don’t know if this is Pop or Rock or R&B or what it is, but if we get enough requests, we’ll just have to play it anyway.” LEO: How has your passion for innovation and invention fueled your music career- like videos versus music? Can you speak on that a bit? TD: Well, I am always thrilled by the new and diving headlong into something that I don’t really understand yet. In fact, nobody does because it’s like you throw away the user manual and you can come up with creative ways to use new technologies that nobody has thought of. I love being in that space. It’s very stimulating. I love being one of the first people to explore the new technologies or new techniques and show the world what you can do with them. So whether it was those synths and drum machines, whether it was making music videos later on, whether it was making video games, the Internet, mobile phones, AI now, I love being an explorer in that space. LEO: What are you working on currently that you feel like is in that space with the technology increasing so rapidly in our world? TD: So I’m actually working on it. My next thing after The Lost Toy People and the Totally Tubular tour is a symphonic project. I feel the sort of 80s craze is very fluffy. It’s all about the leg warmers and the headbands and you know, “Walking on Sunshine”, that sort of upbeat 80s. “Material Girl”, et cetera. But in fact, if you live through the decade, especially in the UK, we had Margaret Thatcher. We had the Falklands War, the miners’ strike, we had AIDS, corporate greed, all of these things going on. It was actually quite a dark era to live through. The Cold War. That is reflected in the music of Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure and The Smiths. Not so much the fluffy stuff that tends to get played at the rewind festivals. So I wanted to lean into that a little bit. As sort of a toolbox for that, I decided to use a symphony orchestra. I’m sort of layering and mashing up some of my favorite bits of music and lyrical ideas from the 80s and using them as sort of symphonic motifs to develop through symphony orchestra. So, from next summer, I’m going to be touring with symphony orchestras around the country, including, I hope, Louisville. Doing this show is really a reflection of the more serious side of 80s music and the experience of living through that. But it’s ultimately optimistic and realizing there was some incredible music written in that decade. I was very proud to be a part of it.

LEO: I think that we are so far away from the 80s and we tend to forget what people went through back then and how it felt to live through those things. TD: I think in many ways it’s been sort of eclipsed by today’s experience. I mean, because all of the things that I mentioned were terrible at the time, but they seem relatively innocent compared to what’s going on in the world today. I think younger people do appreciate that, you know, the experience was quite different for my generation back then. And [my upcoming tour] is really a way to wrap all of that up. There are Dolby fans, but there are a subset of 80s fans as a whole. At my own shows, I get people that are hardcore, you know, into my deep cuts and things like that. But I’ve already broadened the appeal of that to include people like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Crowded House, all those kinds of bands as well. LEO: Anything you want to tell audiences who are interested in the Totally Tubular Festival? TD: You know, it’s very rare to see bands that are completely live. I mean, a lot of the bands on these packages are sort of basically doing canned versions of their hits or their hits from the 80s. They’re doing doing it every night the same, and they’ve been doing it for years the same way. No disrespect to them, but we’re actually taking more chances. Everything is live. We’ve got a 6-piece band. We’ve got percussion and horns. We respond in real time to the vibe on the night. Intros or jam sections in songs are loose. They can be longer or shorter, different people take solos. It’s just got aliveness to it and a vitality that I think is quite unusual for a lot of sort of festival bands these days. LEO: Final question. I know you’ve worked with a lot of different musical acts throughout the years. Is there anybody in particular that’s inspired you in a stand out way or pushed you out of your comfort zone in any way? TD: I’m not a huge music consumer really. I come across stuff occasionally that I love. I think the sort of new crop of artists, there are some I have an affinity with. Billie Eilish I love, and found to my great delight that she and FINNEAS, their dad used to spoon feed them Dolby music when they were on camping trips when they were kids. There’s this great podcast that Billie does with her dad where she’s singing along with my songs. She thinks I’m really weird, but she thinks I’m great. I met her and FINNEAS and have had a good laugh with them about that.

Get tickets to the Totally Tubular Festival here. Courtesy photo

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 13

THE ARTS & CULTURE ISSUE

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN LOUISVILLE Louisville is packed with arts and entertainment. Check out all of the current exhibitions and live shows that are happening in the city! BY ABIGAIL FELDKAMP

GALLERIES: GRADY GOODS ARTPUNK GALLERY

The Observation Project: New Works by Erica Chinise and Janet Dake 976 Barret Ave

Live Performing Arts: TIME SLIP THEATRE

Coherence by James Ward Byrkit 100 W Ormsby Ave August 14-23

On display until 8/30

KMAC MUSEUM

ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE

Girl Crush: A Group Show Celebrating the Work of Local Female Artists 715 W Main St On display until 8/30

Jesus Christ Superstar 316 W Main St August 21-30

SPEED ART MUSEUM

A Wrinkle in Time 1123 Payne St September 18-26

Abstract Expressionists: The Women. Kentucky’s first exhibition devoted to Abstract Expressionism. 2035 S 3rd St On display until 8/30

WHEELHOUSE ART

TRACER: Solo Exhibition by Jacob Heustis 2650 Frankfort Ave On display until 8/29

KORE GALLERY

Cities and Parks by Anil Vinyakan and Masked: What a Woman Holds by Valarie Timmons 942 E Kentucky St On display until 8/30

OUTSIDER ART MUSEUM & GALLERY

Under the Wing of a Quiet Moon. Artwork by self-taught artist Bruce New. 2510 Portland Ave

14 | LEO WEEKLY AUGUST 12-25, 2026

STAGEONE FAMILY THEATRE

DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE

Heartbreak Hotel 525 Marriott Dr, Clarksville, IN August 12-September 27

AMBO DANCE THEATRE

Solo/Duo Festival 812 Clarks Lane August 28-29

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 15

SAVAGE LOVE

QUICKIES BY DAN SAVAGE Hey Dan: How do you tell the difference between a slow-burn connection and settling for something that’s just okay? There’s no settling down without settling for. No one gets everything they wanted where partners are concerned, I’m sorry to say, and if you’ve chosen someone you aren’t entirely sure about… welcome to the world’s most crowded club. Only time will tell whether you settled for something “just okay” (or worse) or if there was a slow-burn connection smoldering under the ambiguity and doubt. Hey Dan: I’m a trans woman. A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with friends and one of them, a gay man who is also a furry, told me that he thinks his furry identity should be granted the same level of legal and societal validation as my trans identity. My first thought was, I wasn’t aware we were getting any validation! But my second thought was to be offended at the comparison between my identity, in which I exist every second of every day, and his furry identity, which seems more like a kink. Was I right to be offended? “The statement this furry made is absurd and none of my friends would ever say something like that,” said a furry gay friend who agreed — somewhat reluctantly — to take a look at your letter so long as I kept his name out of my column. “My immediate thought is what is the furry guy actually asking for? Legal recognition? Does he want his fursona name on his government ID? If he wants to make his fursona his real name, there’s nothing stopping him from doing that; he just needs to get a legal name change. That said, while it’s certainly far harder to exist day-to-day as a trans person than it is as a furry, I don’t think boiling down being a furry to a kink is right. For some it might be ‘just a kink,’ but for others it is very deeply felt.” P.S. While things have definitely gotten worse for trans Americans under the Trump administration, majorities of Americans still support the rights of trans people, which should feel somewhat validating. Trans Americans have even gotten some legal validation — from the fucking Supreme Court, no less, in a decision written by Neil Fucking Gorsuch himself. Just as trans people shouldn’t be erased (and can’t be erased), trans wins and the progress we’ve seen over the last two decades (current backslash notwithstanding) shouldn’t be erased either. P.P.S. My gay furry friend was too polite to say it, so I’ll say it myself: your gay furry friend is an idiot.

the point of emotional paralysis (that “anxious weirdo” place), a good therapist could help you strike a better balance between consideration (of others) and confidence (in your own self/ choices). Hey Dan: I was fascinated to hear the story of the woman who traveled to Peru for an erotic massage. She expressed frustration at not finding local providers. I have been giving these massages like the one the caller described on your show for five years but just to friends and those I meet on the apps. Is there a way to monetize this service? Where to start? I’ve heard good things about Tryst — I am not endorsing the platform, which bills itself as the home of the independent escort, but every time sex work comes up, someone jumps into the comment thread to talk up Tryst. So, just passing that along. (You also might want to listen to my conversation with podcaster and “love coach” Shaun Gelanos on the Savage Lovecast. Gelanos successfully monetized the erotic massages he enjoyed providing to women when he lived and worked in the SF Bay area, which we talked about on the show.) Hey Dan: . I’m a 30-year-old cis woman who has only really ever been intimate with cis men. Lately I’ve been chatting a lot with a trans man who has had bottom surgery. I’m really looking forward to getting intimate with him, but since this is new territory for me, I want to do a little research beforehand. I plan to ask him about what he likes and what feels good for him when the time comes, but I’m wondering if you have any advice or know of any good resources out there (i.e. written by a trans masc person) so that I can better understand his anatomy because most of what I’m finding is written by doctors or people that aren’t trans masc. “Whether you’re a trans person exploring T4T sex for the first time, a cis woman who has historically dated cis guys, or maybe a cis gay man who’s never hooked up with a transmasc person, having a new sexual experience can feel daunting without guidance,” Jo Valdes wrote in an essay for Them, in which Valdes, a writer and intimacy coordinator, solicited advice from trans masc people on best practices where having sex with them is concerned. Go read the whole thing. Hey Dan: I’m active in water sports during the summer — no, not that type of watersports, but the kind with surfboards and paddle boards and sand and things like that. After a few weeks, I noticed that the tip of my cock will get little red marks, small abrasion raspberries, from rubbing up against the board, and sometimes, I think because I stay in a wet bathing suit for a while. This is suboptimal because it makes it look like I’ve got an infection of some sort. Any advice on what to do here?

Hey Dan: I want to love myself more and have the confidence to not care about other people’s opinion of me. Any tips for an anxious weirdo to stop caring about how the world sees me?

A foreskin might help — if you don’t have one of those, you could look into getting one. In the interim, my triathlete pal recommended you slather your cock and balls with Trislide, an anti-chafing lubricant, before pulling on your wetsuit.

You can take other people’s opinions into consideration — you can show a decent respect for the opinions of mankind, as someone or other once put it — without being paralyzed by them. But if you find yourself obsessing to 16 | LEO WEEKLY AUGUST 12-25, 2026

Hey Dan: I’m a young 65-year-old straight woman and my ten-year relationship with my (narcissistic) guy ended abruptly without a reason. Prior to the end of this relationship,

this guy successfully isolated me from all of my old friends. Now I am on my own. Dating apps are a wasteland and my day job has me in bed by 11 PM, even on weekends, and night life doesn’t get started where I live until after midnight. What can I do? You can reach out to one or two of your old friends and throw yourself on their mercy: “I’m so sorry for disappearing on account of my shitty ex and I would love to apologize in person and reconnect — if you have the time — and I promise I won’t spend the whole time complaining to you about my shitty ex.” Hey Dan: Have you read The Great Believers? It made me think of you. I have not — but it sounds amazing. Thanks for the recommendation, and I will add it to the pile on my nightstand. Hey Dan: Does having a threesome with two people who are siblings constitute incest? Hm… that’s an interesting question. I’ve always said there’s nothing necessarily gay about two straight guys having a threesome with a woman… so long as neither is quietly hoping something gay happens. So, by the same logic, one could argue there isn’t anything necessarily incest-y about two siblings having a threesome with a non-sibling… so long as neither sibling is quietly hoping that scene from season three of White Lotus happens. But just as MMF threesomes will always be haunted by the specter of homosexual desire, SSN (sibling-sibling-non-sibling) threesomes will always be haunted by the specter of incest. P.S. There was definitely something gay about the threesome I had with another man and a woman when I was a closeted teenager — it was me, I was the gay thing about it. Hey Dan: If you could fuck any guy in history — they’re all gay in this scenario — who’s catching a facial? My top three: Bagoas (as brought to life by Mary Renault in The Persian Boy), Antinous (prior to his deification by Emperor Hadrian), and Leopold II (at the time he was painted by Pietro Leopoldo). Hey Dan: I’m a gay man. My boyfriend says all gay guys watch porn and I’m lying when I say I don’t. But I honestly don’t. I curate and host the HUMP! Film Festival — tickets for the fall season are on sale now! — so I watch a ton of porn (mostly straight porn) when the HUMP! Jury meets in December to select the films that make it into the festival. But I’m an erotica and imagination guy otherwise, perhaps because I came of age before online porn became a thing. That said, men like us — gay or otherwise — who don’t watch porn are rare, and shame does lead some people to lie about their porn consumption, and the lie is always “I don’t” and never “I do.” So, your boyfriend’s skepticism is understandable. Hey Dan: My wife wants to go to a sex club “just to watch.” Is that a thing? Lots of people go to sex clubs just to watch. And while watchers sometimes frustrate doers, smart sex clubbers goers — goers and

doers — know that most couples come “just to watch” the first few times. So, making a couple that’s just there to watch feel welcome on their first visit (being friendly and respectful, not pressuring them to do anything they’re not ready for) could pay dividends on that couple’s third or fourth visit. Hey Dan: My (straight) husband and I have been monogamous for ten years. His go-to fantasy when we’re fucking is always — always, always, always — me sleeping with other men. Do I keep treating this like dirty talk or does listening to this over and over again (and helping him spin out the fantasy) mean I have a hall pass at this point? You should keep treating it like dirty talk if you’re not interested in actually sleeping with other men. If you are interested in sleeping with other men, you should initiate a conversation with your husband about this fantasy when you aren’t having sex. (“Is me sleeping with another man something you want to keep a fantasy or is it something you actually want to happen? Because I am down.”) If he gets mad because you’re actually thinking about doing the thing he’s encouraged you to fantasize about doing for a decade… then he never gets to bring it up during sex ever again. Hey Dan: My new ex is running around telling all of our mutuals that I was “emotionally abusive” basically because I broke up with him. No one has said anything to me about it. What the fuck do I do? At least one of your mutuals said something to you about it — I mean, you wouldn’t know your ex running around talking shit if one of your mutuals hadn’t told you about it. As for your other mutuals, my hunch is that they haven’t said anything because they know it’s bullshit. If mutuals suddenly start cutting you out of their lives, you’ll have to raise the subject yourself. If they aren’t cutting you out of their lives — if your mutuals are refusing to take sides (or, even better, if they’re easing your ex out of their lives) — maintain a dignified silence. Hey Dan: My controlling ex had a huge problem with me posting thirst traps while we were together — not allowing me to show off was just one of the many ways he didn’t allow me to be myself — but now that we’re exes he likes every single one my thirst traps. Why is he doing this? I would ask him, Dan, but we had a bad breakup, and we are not speaking. (We’re straight.) Your ex could be enjoying your thirst traps again because he no longer regards you as his property… or your ex could be slamming his thumb down on the like button to remind you of his existence and his disapproval. My money is on the latter, and my advice is to block him. (I could tell.) For the full article, go to leoweekly.com Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 17

18 | LEO WEEKLY AUGUST 12-25, 2026

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE CROSSWORD PUZZLE (This crossword was previously published in LEO Weekly)

FROM THE ASTRONAUT’S LOGBOOK

BY DANIEL BODILY Puzzles Edited by Joel Fagliano

Spoils

____ golf

100 Greenlit 101

Moving in zero-G is just blissful!

Chaney of horror

Cheap and trivial

Oddball

Exotic pet

Feminine-hygiene product

‘‘Bearded’’ blooms

Where to walk the walk?

Feminine-hygiene product

The Monstars in ‘‘Space Jam,’’ e.g., for short

Murse, by another name

Mo. when the Titanic sank

Daniel Bodily, of Woodbury, Minn., is a robotics research engineer. His crosswords often include a visual element, as seen in the middle of the grid here. A self-described ‘‘left-brained person,’’ he notes that crosswords are ‘‘the closest I’ll come to being an artist myself.’’

Best of the best

Dominates, slangily

Like some clouds and kittens

‘‘One card left!’’

Francisco with frescoes

‘‘Sounds to me like . . . ’’

Kids . . . or, informally, a snack for kids

Former senator Trent

‘‘Born’’ in France

Quaint double contraction

Gymnast Suni

She’s a believer

Keep reminding, say

ACROSS

C.S.U. or U.S.C.: Abbr.

Temple official

110

Like some wonders

Empty nester’s lack?

111

Last book of the Old Testament

‘‘Do or do not. There is no ____’’ (6-Down quote)

114

It’s run up, then rung up

Juno : Roman :: ____ : Greek

Green trattoria topping

Company aptly hidden in ‘‘Japanese games’’

Cause to jump

Sources of vitamin C, for short

118

Kind of number system in which 7 is the highest digit

Cause to blush

Call me!

116

Risk a ticket

Really, really big

Steam-engine sound

‘‘Seize the day’’ of today

One getting fired after a strike?

They’re used to catch bugs

Domain’s partner in math

Indian flatbread

Enroll, with ‘‘in’’

Terrarium animals

120

Coconut extraction

121

Cop’s catch

Bit of well-wishing on a hot day

Setting

‘‘M-m-m-my ____’’ (1970s song lyric)

Re-entry time — let’s make sure we do this simply and practically!

Sixth word in the Gettysburg Address

‘‘We will, we will ROCK YOU!’’ e.g.

Zoom button

He placed a call to Armstrong and Aldrin minutes after their landing

Ouch! Drifted too far and bonked my head on that darn window . . . but wow, would you look at the view!

Beach ____

Make malleable using heat

122

Basis for some civil cases

Be nerdy, with ‘‘out’’

Playtex product

Pirate-ship features

123

Who’s on a mission in today’s puzzle?

Vegas casino with a musical name

Shoe secured with a click

Replacement of a computer part without powering down

Things checked at baggage checks

Novelist Deighton

124 125

Olympic tracks?

Musician who sang about a 77Down

Let borrow

Crash before dinner?

Storage facility

Window, e.g.

Hot pot

Like some advice

Stat that doesn’t apply to E.V.s

Microdosing drug

1 4

Language suffix

‘‘Fine by me’’

1962 Beatles hit

London’s ____ Gardens

Wavering vocal effects

Lea low?

‘‘Aye, aye, captain!’’

Friends, to Hercule Poirot

Where a spill might end up

Quaker in the woods

Freudian constructs

25 26

Rummikub piece Close

‘‘____ modus in rebus’’ (‘‘Moderation in all things’’)

103

Creatures mummified in ancient Egypt

105

Close to closed

106

Go steady with

107

Green trattoria topping

109

Ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale was the first person to win one (1949)

DOWN 1

Religion in which zakat is practiced

Leaf pore

Woo-hoo! The engines are firing, all systems are go, and we are feeling good!

Channel with ‘‘Silent Sunday Nights’’ programming

Insult

Orange sushi topper

Part of an udder

See 4-Across

Large white sheet

Where a batter goes for a Bundt?

Label for Whitney Houston

102

So far

Tommy Lee Jones’s role in ‘‘Men in Black’’

Farfalle shapes

Dust Bowl-era migrant

Quick left, say

The Euphrates bisects it: Abbr.

And just like that, sky and clouds are behind us!

Mathematician’s creation

Snappish

‘‘I’ll have it on your desk tomorrow’’

Oops, zoned out for a sec. Houston, can you retransmit our coordinates?

Thrilled to report that we’ve made it to lunar orbit!

General acknowledgments?

D.C. V.I.P.

Former labor secretary Robert 31

104 Strong-willed daughter on ‘‘Downton Abbey’’ 105

Burning bridges, e.g.

106

Really hurt

107

Swanky

108 Bouncer in an alleyway? 112

Go silent, with ‘‘up’’

113

Chops

115

____ mood

117

Chopper

119

Unit often used exaggeratively

Answer Key

Writer Rand

Our lunar rover is collecting samples at long last. It’s been sitting in storage for months!

AUGUST 12-25, 2026 LEO WEEKLY | 19